Metal diaphragm pumps



May 29, 1962 E. c. HISE METAL DIAPHRAGM PUMPS Filed June 26, 1959 INVENTOR.

EUGENE c. HISE ATTORNEY United States atent 3,036,526 METAL DIAPHRAGM PUMPS Eugene C. Hise, 106 Aspen Lane, Oak Ridge, Tenn. Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,040 Claims. (Cl. 103-44) This invention relates to metal diaphragm pumps.

Various types of diaphragm pumps for liquids have heretofore been proposed, particularly for exceedingly high pressure differentials, but none has proven wholly satisfactory, particularly for the pumping of sludges, slurries and the like in which a substantial amount of solid material is carried suspended in the liquid.

Difficulties have been encountered, particularly because of the tendency of solid material separating out from the carrier to accumulate between the outer edges of the di aphragm and the peripheral region of a travel limiting surface for the diaphragm. This accumulation causes deformation of the diaphragm and results in destruction of the diaphragm so that the life of the same is greatly shortened.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a diaphragm pump having a plurality of spaced metallic diaphragms with a filling liquid therebetween, one of the diaphragms being oscillated by pressure of a driving fluid applied thereagainst, the other diaphragm having a pumping face which engages with the material to be pumped.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pump having a pair of spaced metallic diaphragms in which one of the diaphragms is flexed between limiting positions, the movement of this diaphragm being utilized with a liquid coupling between the diaphragms for controlling and determining the movement of the other diaphragm.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pump having a plurality of diaphragms with a liquid coupling therebetween, one of the diaphragms being a driving diaphragm and the other diaphragm being a pumping diaphragm, the movement of the pumping diaphragm being controlled by the coupling so that no travel limiting devices are necessary and no solids collecting locations are provided on the portion thereof which is exposed to the solids containing liquid being pumped.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a metal diaphragm pump having a plurality of metal diaphragms, one of which is a pumping diaphragm, and the other of which is a driving diaphragm, with provisions for controlling the liquid filling of the space between the two diaphragms.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and the claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a diaphragm pump in accordance with the present invention, parts being shown diagrammatically;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged, showing a different character of diaphragm mounting.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in

ice

which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the pump in accordance with the present invention preferably consists of a plurality of heads in sidewise stacked or laminated arrangement, including a fluid driving head 10, an intermediate or liquid coupling head 11, and a slurry pumping head 12 retained in aligned arrangement by end flange plates 14 and 15 connected by flange retaining studs 16 having nuts 17 thereon. The end flange plates 14 and 15 have recessed portions 18 and 19 for the reception respectively of the heads 10 and 12-.

The fluid driving head 10 preferably includes a disc portion 20 having a nozzle or pipe 21 welded or otherwise secured thereto in fluid tight relation and extending through an opening 22 in the end flange plate 14.

The nozzle or pipe 21 is connected by a fluid connection 23, secured thereto, to a source of oscillating hydraulic pressure of any desired type.

The disc portion 20 has a ring 24 connected thereto to which a drive plate 25 is secured in any desired manner such as by rings 26 of welding. The plate 25 has a plurality of spaced openings 27 therethrough for permitting free fluid access from one side thereof to the other. The plate 25 has a curved dished or concave face 28 for limiting the movement in one direction of a driving diaphragm 29 of metal such as stainless steel, brass or the like, dependent upon the liquids in contact therewith. The diaphragm 29 is interposed between the plate 25 and the flat face 30 of the intermediate head 11. The plate 25 preferably has a peripheral welding rim 31 therearound.

The intermediate head 11 is also preferably made in the form of a plate having a plurality of openings 32 therethrough, the side face 30 thereof preferably being fiat and the other side thereof being dished as at 33, and preferably to the same extent and with the same curvature as the face 28. Opposite radially disposed bores 34 and 35 are provided, communicating respectively with a plurality of the openings 32 in the plate and having nozzles 36 and 37 extending therefrom for the attachment of tubes 38 and 39 for filling with liquid and for exhaust of air, as hereinafter explained. The tubes 38 and 39 connected to the nozzles 36 and 37 can, if desired, have valves 40 and 41 therein for sealing the liquid introduced therein. The head 11 has peripheral Welding rims 42 and 43 therearound.

The metal diaphragm 29 is held in position in any esired manner, such as by the pressure retaining the components in axial alignment and, if desired, also, the joints at this location may be weld sealed at the rims 31 and 42 as at 4-4.

The pumping slurry head 12 has an opening 46 therethrough to which a nozzle 47 is welded and has an access opening 48 therethrough to which a nozzle 49 is welded. The nozzles 47 and 49 extend through the flange 15, and one of the nozzles is preferably connected to a suppiy of slurry, the other being connected to a location for delivery of the slurry. The nozzles 47 and 49 can have non-return or check valves 60 and 63 in series therewith and operating in opposite directions to serve as inlet and discharge valves.

A diaphragm 50 i provided, interposed between the plates 11 and 12. The diaphragm 50 is of metal, similar to the diaphragm 29, and can be retained in position in the same manner.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the plate 12 can have a weld ing rim 51 therearound, and if desired the joints at this location may be Weld sealed at the rims 43 and 51, as shown at 52.

In FIG. 3, alternative structure for mounting and sealing the diaphragm is shown with particular reference to the diaphragm 50, a compressible sealing ring 55 being provided in an annular recess 56 in compressed engagement with the diaphram 5E and a sealing ring 57 being provided in an annular recess 53 and carried in the plate 12 for compressed engagement with the diaphragm 5% on the opposite face thereof. The sealing rings 55 and 57 prevent fluid leakage radially outwardly of the diaphragm 50.

The slurry head 12 is provided with a cutaway portion 53 which is flat over the major portion of its extent and is spaced from the diaphragm 59 over the entire area of the diaphragm 5i exposed thereto. The cutaway portion 5'3 is thus beyond the location to which movement of the diaphragm 50 occurs so that no location is provided therein for the collection of solid material from the slurry being pumped.

If desired, a filter or screen 63 can be provided along the face of the plate 25 opposite the face 28 to prevent access of solids to the face 28 and diaphragm 29.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

Before operation of the pump is commenced the space between the diaphragrns 29 and 5% is filled with a permanent liquid filling, any desired liquid being employed in accordance with the characteristics of the materials to be handled, and particularly dependent upon the ternperatures of the pumped and impelling fluids.

For some purposes the filling liquid may be water, while for other purposes alcohol, ethylene glycol, mineral oil, mercury or the like may be employed. In order to effect the filling, with the pipe 39 connected to the nozzle 37 in open or partially open condition through the valve 41, liquid is introduced through the fluid connection 38. Any air or other gas between the diaphragms 29 and St, is discharged through the nozzle 37 and the pipe 39. if desired, the filling may be effected under pressure, but not to the extent to cause deformation of the diaphragm 50 beyond the normal fiat plane thereof under operating conditions.

The nozzle 21 is connected to a source of oscillating hydraulic pressure which is applied through the openings 27 on the contiguous face of the driving diaphram 29. The openings 27 of the plate 25 provide for pressure distribution between the opposite sides of the plate 25 as transmitted by the fluid fillin the perforations 22. The application of the oscillating hydraulic pressure on the driving diaphragm 29 tends to oscillate the diaphragm 29 to and from a concave position in contact with the face portion 28 from and to a flat position in contact with the face portion 36 of the head it, and the pressure applied through the perforations 32 is effective by reason of the liquid filling for oscillating the diaphragm 5t) concurrently with the diaphragm 29. The diaphragm 5G is thus actuated from a position in engagement with the concave face 33 to a planar position, and returned, and at no time comes into contact with the dished face 53 of the slurry head 12. Accordingly, no accumulation of solids will be effected on the pumping side of the diaphragm Sit, and no travel limiting face or other structure is required on the slurry pumping side of the diaphragm St), the movement of the diaphragm 56 being limited by hydraulic coupling to that of the driving diaphragm 29.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising housing members having a pair of spaced metal diaphragms therein, one of said diaphragms being a driving diaphragm and the other being a pumping diaphragm, a liquid link interposed between inner facing portions of said diaphragms for effecting simultaneous movement thereof, a fluid connection for the ap plication of oscillating fluid pressure against the outer face of said driving diaphragm opposite from that engaged by said liquid link, the other side of said pumpin diaphragm bounding a pumping chamber having a fixed boundary wall thereof spaced from said pumping diaphragm in all operating positions of said pumping diaphragm, fluid connections in communication with said pumping chamber for the supply and delivery of liquid to be pumped, and means for controlling the positioning of said pumping diaphragm for movement between a concave condition and a flat condition including a member interposed between said diaphragrns, said last member having a concave face portion facing towards said pumping diaphragm for limiting the movement of said pumping diaphragm towards a concave condition and an opposite motion limiting face portion facing towards said driving diaphragm for limiting the movement of said driving diaphragm and thereby limiting the movement of said pumping diaphragm towards a flat condition.

2. A pump comprising a driving head, an intermediate head, a pumping head, a metal driving diaphragm interposed between said driving head and said intermediate head, a metal pumping diaphragm interposed between said intermediate head and said pumping head, said driving head and said intermediate head having facing portions shaped and spaced to provide a driving chamber within which said driving diaphragm extends, said facing portion of said intermediate head facing the driving diaphragm and limiting the movement thereof in one direction, a fluid connection for the application of oscillating fluid pressure in said drivin chamber against one side of said driving diaphragm, said intermediate head and said pumping head having facing portions shaped and spaced to provide an operating chamber and a pumping chamber, said last facing portion of said intermediate head having a concave surface, said pumping diaphragm separating said operating chamber and said pumping chamber, the space within said intermediate head and between said diaphragms being liquid filled and said liquid providing a coupling for simultaneous movement of said diaphragms, fluid connections in communication with said pumping chamber for the supply and delivery of liquid to be pumped, said driving diaphragm and pumping diaphragm being movable in said opposite direction to place said pumping diaphragm in concave condition and being movable in said one direction from the concave condition towards a flat condition of said pumping diaphragm, said facing portion of said intermediate head contacted by said driving diaphragm serving as the limit in said one direction for the control of the concurrent movement of said diaphragms.

3. A pump as defined in claim 2 in which the intermediate head has a plurality of openings between its opposite facing portions, and a filling connection is provided in said intermediate head, including a passageway in intersecting relation to a plurality of said openings.

4. A pump as defined in claim 2 in which saiddelivery head, intermediate head and pumping head are discs with axes normal to their opposite faces in alignment, flange members are provided at opposite ends of said heads, and connecting members are provided in said flange members for holding said flange members, said heads and said diaphragms in assembled relation.

5. A pump as defined in claim 2, in which said delivery head, intermediate head and pumping head are discs with axes normal to their opposite faces in alignment, flange members are provided at opposite ends of said heads, connecting members are provided in said flange members for holding said flange members, said heads and said diaphragms in assembled relation, and said fluid connections extend through said flange members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,266 Franklin June 23, 1914 2,452,526 Osborne Oct. 26, 1948 2,576,747 Bryant Nov. 27, 1951 2,902,936 Bradley Sept. 8, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 530,978 France Jan. 4, 1922 767,524 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1957 

